Latest news from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received until 22 May, 18:00 (Kyiv time)
This update is provided for the media and the public
In Donetsk and Luhansk the situation remained volatile. Other parts of Ukraine remained calm.
The situation in Kharkiv remained calm.
In Luhansk region the situation remained volatile. A so-called “martial law” was announced on 22 May by Valeriy Bolotov, the “President” of the “People’s Republic of Luhansk”. SMM noted that an estimated 70% of shops, cafes and banks have closed in Luhansk city centre. Some products of first necessity are sold out. Shops that are still open had removed their most valuable items. There is no fuel available. There is a noticeable decrease in the number of people and cars on the streets. Police – who had re-started patrolling the city a few days ago – are absent. Some trains from Kyiv to Kharkiv have been suspended. SMM observed an increased number of armed men outside the headquarters of the “South Eastern Army”.
In Donetsk region the situation remained volatile. SMM observed a reinforced presence of Ukrainian armed forces. There were four BMPs on both sides of Highway 20, surrounded by numerous soldiers.
SMM saw 50 cars in front of the Regional Administration building demonstratively honking their horns as per Akhmetov’s call for protests earlier in the week. SMM observed some elderly people throwing stones and water containers at the vehicles as they passed by. The drivers did not react and drove through. SMM saw a group of approximately 30 people (mostly elderly) that were chanting the slogan “Akhmetov is an enemy of the people” and holding several banners saying “Akhmetov is a thief and is a supporter of fascism” and “Are you a slave to Akhmetov?” The group was joined by a few younger men wearing masks and carrying sticks. One man was apparently filming the cars and the number plates of those that honked their horns.
SMM observed one new checkpoint at the entrance of Oleksandrivka (134 km west of Donetsk), manned by a platoon of Ukrainian soldiers and equipped with two BMP-2s, and two Ural and Gaz trucks. SMM was told by the head of district administration that the presidential elections will take place in 17 of 19 electoral districts and that the authorities are ready to administer them. The remaining two districts’ members said they would not administer the elections and/or assist in the organization of the election process due to security reasons. The head of district administration stressed that the police are ready to provide security in the remaining 17 electoral districts.
The situation in Dnepropetrovsk remained calm. In Novopavlivka (176 km south-east of Dnepropetrovsk) SMM was stopped by Ukrainian soldiers manning a roadblock in the outskirts of the town. The ID documentation of all the OSCE monitors was checked.
The situation in Kherson remained calm. SMM observed the Stavky administrative boundary line (110 km south-east of Kherson). On approach to the Stavky intersection, a military vehicle (BMP-2) blocked the road. SMM noticed a long queue of 4.5 km at the administrative line towards Crimea.
The situation in Odessa remained calm. SMM noted that the steel fence in front of the Trade Union building at Kulikove Polye was reinforced with concrete blocks during the day. Thirty police officers were present close to the workers, and approximately ten riot police were on standby behind the building.
The situation in the cities of Chernivitsi, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Kyiv remained calm.
In Kyiv SMM observed a gathering of approximately 100 protesters in front of the Government building where a Maidan-style regular military tent had been erected. The demonstrators were asking for justice and criminal prosecution of corrupt politicians and protesting the inactivity of the Prosecutor General’s Office. The Government building was secured by the National Guard and regular police officers. The protest was peaceful and no security incidents were reported.